Problem

70,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the Deep South this year

This doesn't have to be a story

Sally's Story

A year ago, Sally was leading a normal, healthy life and didn’t have trouble making ends meet. Then, one day, she didn’t feel well so she visited her doctor. After some tests she was told what 40% of all people will hear in their lifetime; “You have cancer.”

Cancer has left her in bed for days, forced her to miss work, walks with her dog, time in her garden, and even the ability to drive a car. She has gone from a self-sufficient life to one that requires her to humbly accept the kindness of friends. Because of the expense of cancer, Sally is now facing financial disaster and unimaginable possibilities are now real choices. She often must choose between medicine or buying groceries, paying for gas to get to treatment, and the other necessities of life that quickly add up.

Items such as gas and groceries are expenses we can all understand. These routine expenses can easily become a burden to someone battling cancer. The Deep South Cancer Foundation exists to help people like Sally overcome these everyday barriers that cancer creates. Cancer is complicated but helping is not.

The Cost of Cancer

Cancer is not selective; it affects every area of an individual's life, and daily necessities easily become barriers to treatment and healing. One-third of these patients are threatened with bankruptcy because of medical bills; everyday life expenses such as transportation, buying groceries, and lodging quickly add up, which results in impossible financial challenges. Financial instability contributes heavily to a patient's hopelessness amidst hardship and the inability to access treatment.